


Saints Amongst the Dead

by WikidDreams



Category: Boondock Saints (Movies), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-15 20:25:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3460880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WikidDreams/pseuds/WikidDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dead are walking and two souls are wondering if they'll ever be once again reunited. No one knows what the dawn of a new day brings, but is whispered across the passing winds is that there are Saints amongst those of the walking dead. Beth Greene/Murphy MacManus pairing, maybe a few others down the line.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I can't at all say I know where this story is possibly heading, nor do I know how long it's going to be. I just know something has been nagging in the back of my head since watching Boondock Saints and Walking Dead back to back with one another. Not so bad now that I've typed some of it out, but we'll see what happens as time carries on. Not that it's hard to draw muse of any sort from Norman and Sean - add in Emily, well, things just get interesting. 
> 
> This is more then likely going to start out and stay a Murphy/Beth pairing. Though I do have a tendency to change my mind so who knows. Connor may or may not acquire a love interest, though at this point I don't have any feels for one. Daryl will be pretty prominent as well, though in what capacity exactly is going to be shown as each chapter comes. 
> 
> I'm also going to point out that I've more then likely, like definitely, have messed around with character ages. Not to mention have messed with the timelines of both TBS and TWD to get where I wanted to be story-wise and thus plot-wise; even if my plot is being made up as I go along. I'm probably not going to be answering questions to enquiring minds until the story is three or four chapters in. Just cause I think I'll know where things are going to be going by then. Hopefully. Though general, probable guesses are still more then welcome to be made. 
> 
> Think that about sums everything up. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own anything in relation to either the Boondock Saints or The Walking Dead. This is all just for shits and giggles.

**Saints amongst the Dead**

_Prologue_

　

Dark storm blue eyes locked onto wide blue orbs the shade of a clear sky. Nothing was said as it was all spoken within the shared gaze and body language. Because this was something that needed to be done and with that deep sense of moral obligation touched by some divine guidance there was nothing that would change his mind. It was why his steely resolve was met by her resonating her understanding that filled the space between them. Yes, she didn’t like the idea of him being in harms way but there was a devotion for the man standing before her that was tangled with strong dose of pride.

Still nothing could overcome the pain within both of their hearts, and it was this pain that had them meeting in the middle of the room. Bodies came together in a battle of anguish laced with need and desperation. Yet beneath the pressure of hurried hands that shed clothing and the frantic kisses that begun anew before they even ended, was a fiery passion and a love that was all consuming. There was no room for tenderness at that very moment, despite the fact that under normal circumstances each touch and caress would reflect the term. No, this was an unspoken promise, a display of raw feeling that they felt for one another, along with an unspoken goodbye.

Because as naked, warming flesh came together in a tangle of limbs upon the rumpled bed both had failed to keep away the memory that was almost a twin to their frantic need of each other in that moment. Except this time he wasn’t about to get on a boat and leave with no intention of coming back, this time he was off to finish something that had started with his father and could only end with his imprisonment or his death. What was worse, him and his brother had made sure that she wouldn’t be around for the revelation of either outcome.

Dainty feminine arms and legs pulled the lean and sculpted body of the male closer at the mere thought of her departure within a few hours. Her fingers curling tighter into the muscle of his back as heels pressed into his buttocks and her swollen lips pressed even more firmly against his own. Taking to her cues and sensing the still growing need that was about to hit its crescendo, his large calloused hand curled into the long locks of silky blonde hair and tugged ever so slightly to elongate her neck. His lips left a burning trail down the smooth lines of creamy skin, placing extra pressure in the points behind her ear and pulse point as his other hand pulled up at her hip.

Two sets of different shade of blue eyes met momentarily from the distance he had placed between them before his hips surged forward and joined them in the most primitive of ways. The union had eyes drifting closed as mutual moans hummed from their throats. However there was little relish held for the moment as it was gone as quickly as it was made as the urgency was once again moving them into frantic action.

Hips joined with thrusts that were hard and deep. Hands pressed, pulled, and tugged at flesh and hair. Lips met lips, lips and teeth met and marked flesh. The abuse they made on one another would mark there bodies for days to come, yet neither would come to care about the bruised and scratched destruction stretched across there panes of flesh.

Despite it being only minutes, it had felt miraculously far longer as she felt herself climbing the final rise. Her breath made a final hitch and he made one particular thrust that rubbed all the right places, sending her tipping over the edge with a breathy moan that came out in the echo of his name. _“_ Murphy _.”_

The singular sound was all he needed before he slipped into in native tongue. “Is breá liom tú…” Thrust. “Is breá liom tú…” Thrust. “Is breá liom tú…” Upon his third thrust and profession of love his release had his entire body going lax. Despite the relief of the built up tension, he still found the energy to wrap his arms around the small frame of the woman within his arms and pull her with him as he rolled to the side. 

She didn’t remain curled up against his side for long as she felt the unspoken words that told them they had to get moving. With a gentle kiss to his chest, her body rolled away from him and she found herself collecting her discarded clothes. Slipping back into her undergarments and shirt, she found her blue eyes finding him dressed in his jeans simply looking at her with an intensity that had her drawing her lower lip in-between her teeth. As he took the steps towards her, she found herself drawn to the small item that was being transferred from one of his large palms to the other.

“If ye and I had met under different circumstances, would be givin to tha son we would of had.” Her inhale came sharp as her hand came to splay itself across the base of her throat. Wide eyes drifted from the large, intricate ring to the resigned yet determined face of a man whom had held her heart since she was seventeen. “I can’t make ye any promises of our future, but I can give ye this to have as a remembrance of me and everythin I would have wanted fer the both of us.”

There was a thickness in her throat and her eyes burned from the tears she refused to shed. Having no words, she pressed a tender, loving kiss to his lips before going to unclasp the chain that was already around her neck. Together, they placed his family ring on the chain where it sat next to her knotted cross before securing it once again.

In silence, they once again finished dressing until that moment came and they both realized time was up. Both froze and simply looked at one another, searing what they were seeing in that moment within there memories. Her hand left the doorknob, not even sure when she had pulled the door partially open and found herself wrapped up within his arms again. The kiss they shared was chaste, when they pulled away to press there foreheads together she swallowed.

“Close your eyes…” Came her whisper as she slowly pulled away. “Keep them closed.” With each step she took towards the door, the harder it was to keep the tears at bay. Thankfully, he listened because she wanted him to remember the strength she held on to in there moment of goodbye. When it was just there fingertips brushed against one another, both of there arms outstretched, she uttered her final “I love you” before disappearing behind the door and making her way down the steps that would lead into the bar.

Going down the final step, she lifted her head to meet the gentle gaze of Noah. The older man had taken two steps to her one before pulling her into a hug. His aged voice mumbled a prayer of a safe journey before pulling away and gently cupping her cheek where he caught the stray tear that managed to escape the corner of her eye.

The smile she offered was gentle, though it did not reach her eyes as she stepped away from him only to turn and face the brother of the one she loved with her entire being. As his arms opened, more of her tears fell just as she fell within his embrace. “It’ll be alright Lass, you’ll see. No getting rid of us that easy.”

What laugh she managed was strangled by a sob as she held him closer and buried her face within his neck. “I’ve never wanted to be rid of either of you.” Came her mumble. “Still don’t.” His hold tightened as his fingers trailed the length of her blonde hair, which brought about a gentle sigh before she withdrew.

Meeting each others gaze, both of there smiles were sad and she found herself overcome with more tears by the gentle kiss he placed to her forehead. “Time to get going sweet girl.”

Nodding, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before stepping back. The door to the pub opening as she did so. “Love you Connor.” There was a momentary shift in his features before the familiar gleam filled his eyes and he responded with a simple wink before she turned around and met the face of Special Agent Bloom.

The woman offered her a closed lipped smile and tilted her head towards the door, except neither managed to step closer to it as she was halted by the desperate sound of her name as it echoed down the stairs.

“Beth.”

It was far more clearer at that point where she turned around to see the dark haired Irishman crossing the space between them and crushing her frame against his own. For a moment all he did was hold her before pulling back enough to place a searing kiss on her lips and Beth found herself returning it with the same intensity.

When he finally released her, Murphy rested his forehead to her own and closed his eyes, “Is breá liom tú mo éan amhrán.”

His desperate and broken tone released more of the tears she swore she wouldn’t shed. But there was no stopping them now when he sounded like she had felt. “Agus mé tú, deo.” The native language rolled off her tongue amongst her tears as she pressed her final kiss to his lips. They then met each others gaze one more time before she left out the door with Eunice. 

No one had uttered any goodbyes that day, they could only hope the luck of the Irish be there with them wherever they may go.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, I had some issues with the transitioning in parts of this chapter, so I apologise in advance. 
> 
> Also, thanks for the kudos; I’m glad the prologue had managed to earn them. I only hope the story continues to do so.

**_Saints amongst the Dead_ **

_Chapter One_

Fingers drummed away against the hood of the beaten up Ford as blue eyes shifted in every direction before momentarily glancing back at the male currently taking a piss off the side of the road before doing the circuit again. A routine reaction these days, accompanied by tense shoulder and back muscles as the sense of hearing worked overtime and ones vision sharpened to catch sight of the barest of movements off in any distance. But aside from the fall breeze rustling the Georgian foliage, nothing seemed to be in the vicinity.

“Ye alright Murph?”

The drumming stopped and similar shades of blue eyes met. Murphy really didn’t think either of them were alright, himself especially considering where he currently stood. But him and his brother were both breathing and neither of them had any life threatening wounds, so maybe to some degree he was. So he nodded. “Aye.”

Silence passed between them, one looking on in a type of scrutiny while the other tried to keep his face void of emotion. Not that Murphy was any good at keeping his emotions in check and when he happened to manage Connor had a habit of calling his twin out on it. “We’ll find her you know.” Much like he did at that moment and the response was immediate because Murphy‘s entire body tensed and if eyes could burn his would be considered a blazing blue .

“Aye.” It was full of conviction, because they would find her. Had to even and wouldn’t stop till death claimed them. When they did find her, it would only be death that could pull them away.

With nothing further to say, they both got back into the truck and Connor started it up again. As they started to move, both became lost within there thoughts as they drifted to the months prior. To a time where neither of them could say if it had been easier or harder compared to the times they currently faced.

Most only dreamed of getting to the other side of brick, stone and chain link covered in barbed wire. Dream of leaving behind isolation and the constant watchful eyes of the designated wardens. Those few who manage to live through there sentence head out into the world that’s changed more then one would have imagined over the course of twenty-five years. Because in that length of time friends and family have moved on with their lives as you have been partially, if not mostly forgotten. Leaving you still in a type of isolation, one that may or may not last through the borrowed time of the few years you still left.

It wasn’t a place either twin wanted to be locked away in, not with what they had been doing that had landed them within the Hoag prison. But they had known that it was the most likeliest places they would have ended after going after the man who had betrayed there father. That or they would have ended up dead, escaping wasn’t a likely option due to the sacrifice a certain agent had made to get the information required to go after _The Roman_. There timeframe wasn’t favourable, so it didn’t surprise either Connor or Murphy when they stepped out of the shambled house to find it surrounded by squad cars and a unit of each force in the state with guns drawn.

Life within the prison wasn’t a walk in the park. The initial weeks were spent surrounded by those who wanted them dead. Taunts and threats happened on a daily basis, altercations happen a couple times a week as Murphy could never keep his temper and when things hit a little more closer to his over feeling hear there was just no stopping him. Of course Connor tried to quell the rising tempers and for the majority of it he had succeeded. Until Murphy got in to deep with a few members of the Yakavetta crime family that had Connor flipping his shit; that fight resulted all those involved spending a few days to a few weeks in the medical wing which was followed by a time in isolation. That, was not a good period for the brothers who had pretty much spent every moment in each others company.

Not all the inmates wanted to string the brothers up with nooses made by bed sheets or make shift knives. In fact there was quite a few of them enjoyed the twins random, more often then not sarcastic and often times offensive humour. Especially when the one on the receiving end of it thinks they are completely serious, there game faces are quite incredible after all, until they both breakout into large grins and amused laughter.

As for there wardens, the every day caregivers with rather sharp eyes; some weren’t so bad and others were just far to conceited. Two in particular though, managed to keep their hope burning a little bit brighter for the small verbal requests Connor and Murphy had asked. Which mainly consisted on getting information, no matter how small, to a particular blonde haired, blue-eyed songbird. That along with the plans the not so dead Smecker was making with the ever striking Bloom.

There wasn’t meant to be any engaging of grand escape plans though, no, a particular virus had set sailed across what sounded like the entire globe. While most of those within the prison didn’t seem to worried about it, the twins were in the small percentage that did. For awhile things were under control, but then larger outbreaks began to happen and suddenly they knew it was only a matter of time before the virus came within the prisons walls.

For awhile the safest place had been within the walls of the prison, until one day a dozen or so of the dead had rampaged through the eating area. Chaos had followed. While the twins managed to fight off the flesh-eating, walking dead, Romeo hadn’t. It had taken a great effort for Connor to haul the emotional Murphy away from their friends dieing body as the dead fed off of him. Escaping the penitentiary as it collapsed from within wasn‘t hard, not when everyone’s focus was elsewhere.

Getting back to Boston had taken a bit of time and getting further into the city had taken just about as long. The dead were everywhere and the slightest of noises seemed to attract them. Trial and error had the brothers learning how to properly kill them and have them stay dead. When they finally had found themselves in the familiar setting of McGinty’s, it was only to find the dead body of Doc. A few weeks decayed, a glass partially filled with scotch on the table before him, with a pistol on his lap and his head torn open from a bullet going through his head. Clutched in his hand, was a letter that came close to destroying Murphy.

Never before had Connor been at such a loss when it came to his brother, never before had Connor not ever been enough. Watching as Murphy tore through the bar, breaking barstools, slamming his fists into the walls and sending anything that could possibly break crashing to the floor fractured at his soul. He couldn’t ever recall a moment where Murphy had ever been so _broken_. It wasn’t until the darker haired twin had sunk to the disastrous floor that Connor was able to wrap an arm around his brother. Praying that the girl who had stolen both of their hearts was in a safe place and surviving the new version of hell.

Guilt, regret, sadness and anger consumed Murphy for hours and continued to do so even when his body could no longer support his weight. Tears left wet trails down his cheeks until they had eventually stopped, leaving behind a burning sensation that said if the hydration in his body had been there he still would be crying. When his breathing had evened out, he allowed his brother to take him up to the room they had used when they had arrived back in Boston. But while Connor had slipped into sleep, Murphy had laid awake thinking about the child he had lost in such an early state and the girl who had to go through it all without him.

Morning came and Connor had awoken to find Murphy with a resolve that reflected in his body and eyes. It didn’t come as a surprise to much that the distraught twin had spent most of the early morning scouring Boston for everything they could potentially need for an undetermined length of time. The annoyance Connor had felt had nothing to do with his brother deciding there course of action without him; because while they did argue and disagree on any number of things, there really was no decision to be made about whether or not to find Beth Greene. No, his annoyance stemmed from his brother going out on his own with the dead walking the streets.

Which is how the two Irish twins came to be in Georgia, the travel taking weeks bordering a couple of months to get to this point. The point where they are passing a highly damaged sign that probably told how far away the town of Senoia was. _Senoia_. “Fuck!”

The uttered curse accompanied by his brothers rather hasty grab of the map had Connor swerving. “What the hell Murph?!” Taking his eyes off the road, sending a glare in his twins direction all he got in reply is a string of mumbled words before his twin looked up and pointed.

“Got to turn up here,” He hoped anyway. Unless the road before the fallen sign was what they had wanted. It was hard to say from the all the damage, in fact, the amount of it left a knot of some kind in the depth of his stomach.

It was a sense of worry that only grew and they drove through the stretch of back road, drawing closer to there destination from landmarks they had remembered Beth speaking about. No relief was felt in knowing they were going the right way, not as the destruction got worse and the smell of smoke reached their nostrils.

When they broke through the thick patch of trees to see the open expanse of field, both pairs of blue eyes took in the amount of dead still walking. Their attention after that was taken in by something still smouldering in the distance and when the house came into view, Murphy let out a strangled noise and Connor had cursed. Only to curse louder as his brother leapt out of the still moving truck and going after anything that moved with a knife to the head.

Quickly putting the truck in park and turning it off, Connor followed after his brother. It didn’t take them all that long to reach the house, taking down the walking dead as they went while also taking in decayed faces. The few blondes they came across brought them both to pause, a reaction that was new and probably wouldn’t settle until known outcome of the girl they searched for. Most of the porch rails were gone and all the windows broken. The screen door laid slanted down the steps and the door itself was left open to reveal a different sort of mess inside.

Both hesitated before stepping inside, they came across three of the walking dead on the main floor before heading upstairs. While Connor had taken the first room, Murphy had taken the one right beside the bathroom and he immediately knew whose room it had been. The smell of her lingered and her face resided in a few photos next to faces he didn’t know. He felt his strength leave him as he sunk down into her bed only to stare into her beaming face beside a girl he could only guess was the sister she had talked about.

Murphy hadn’t moved a muscle until Connor had stepped into the room, where there gazes had met only for a minute before the darker haired twin went back to looking at the photo. Connor allowed his gaze to trail across the room before taking note of the chair before the desk. He was lowering himself down into it when a piece of paper, neatly written on caused him to momentarily lose his breath.

Picking it up, Connor turned towards his brother. “Murph…” When blue eyes the same shade of his own looked up, Connor handed over the piece of paper.

It had earned him a frown but his twin still took it. There was a sharp inhale that followed not long after, his following exhale had her name falling from his lips in almost a praise. The relief in both of them was evident as they both shared the smallest of smiles knowing that the note could only be a few days old at most; if the still smoking building was anything to go by.

Murphy looked down at the familiar, neatly formed script and read it over again. Feeling just a little bit more hopeful.

_M & C,_

_Farm was over run, had to leave. Only came back for more supplies. Headed northeast._

_Love you,_

_B_

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it wasn’t supposed to take me close to two months to get this chapter up. Seriously, I don’t even know how that happened. Apologies for that. But it’s here and with this chapter comes the rough point of the storyline in which I plan to follow in regards to what happened in TWD. While obviously it won’t be exact, it will be pretty similar in some of the happenings.

_**Saints Amongst the Dead  
** Chapter Two_

 

 

Since having to leave the farm behind, time held no real significance. The day started and it ended, sometimes getting from one day to the next dragged on and sometimes it had just come a gone so fast you wondered if it was in fact just a dream. Now though, what lustre it had managed to still hold was completely dulled and diluted by the simple fact that bleary eyes couldn’t make much sense in a room without windows, though there was some faint light off to her right. Didn’t help that she had been rendered unconscious for who knows how long, having endured a hard blow to the head.

Thinking about it had a moan echoing from her slightly swollen and split lips. Everything hurt, the pain intense enough that she couldn’t place where or what had possibly hurt more. What she could remember was vague at best after being separated from Maggie and Glen upon coming to this place called Woodbury. She had been left alone until some Hispanic male waltzed through the door, it was easy to act indifferent and remain rather quiet in the beginning. For the most part she had just ignored his questions, but then she just couldn’t hold back any more and got far to cheeky. Ended up with a blow or two the face because of it.

He slipped though, thinking she wouldn’t retaliate in some way. But he had gotten close enough that she had managed to crack her forehead against his nose before delivering a kick to his groin. Despite the momentary blurry vision, she had managed to narrow her blue eyes at him and make a comment about needing to keep his hands to himself before the butt of his gun came to her head. When she had come too, it was only to hear the agonizing screams of Glenn.

Merle had come through the door at some point after and all she could do was peer at him as he waltzed towards her. She didn’t even blink as he scraped the other chair from around the table to settle it a couple of feet from her own; taking a seat in the thing backwards and hanging around it in a way that portrayed a sense of causality that she would have believed if it reflected within in his eyes.

For a long while they stared at one another, waiting for the other to seemingly crack and speak up first. Since he had found them outside the mart there hadn’t been a single word out of her mouth in his presence. It really wasn’t surprising he gave in first, commenting on her use of the crossbow and how it wasn’t much a weapon of choice in current circumstance; hadn’t been one really even before the world went to shit. All she did was shrug in response, a recurring action that came in conjunction with a few blank stares or a slight twitch of her lips that revealed a teasing of a grin.

He didn’t hang around long when she didn’t want to comment on what her relationship was in regards to his little brother. Though she came close to rolling her eyes a time or two that would have been accompanied by a scoff from how vulgar he had gotten. Her relationship with the other Dixon wasn’t like that all, although they were particularly close and protective of one another. It was probably why the words were tumbling out of her mouth just as Merle was walking out the door. “You’ll see him again yah know and then at some point a choice will have to be made. You’re probably going to be surprised and angry that it isn’t you he’s pickin so you best prepare yourself Merle Dixon.”

The sneer that followed should have scared her, but all she could do was look at him with the most knowing expression she could muster. Because it would happen, that much she was sure. Daryl had come a long way since he first stepped on to the farm. He had transformed in the period of time away from his brother and while he was the same in some ways; in many others he wasn’t.

When the door had opened again and her cornflower blue eyes rested on the tall figure of a man, she felt a chill run down her spine. Then when their eyes met she had felt fear for the first time since the run had gone from good to bad. It was something in the mans eyes that immediately put her on edge and his prowl, no his stalk towards her had her stomach clenching with an unease that made her feel sick.

He was nice at first, charming even and had cut the rope that held her to the chair. Apologizing for the rough treatment, asking if she wanted something to drink, what her relation was to the two others she was brought in with, and general enquiries about her life during this zombie apocalypse. She had even responded to the enquiry of her name after learning that he was the Governor. Though to everything else she had been vague, indifferent with her answers not wanting to give to much away but not wanting to upset him either. Upsetting him probably wouldn’t have been a good idea, because for whatever reason, he _really_ wanted to know the location of their group.

When him being cordial didn’t get anywhere, his switchblade made work over the exposed skin of her arms before going to work on her shirt. He kept repeating how it was her fault with what he was doing to her. that if only she’d give in and answer the questions he wanted to know then he wouldn’t have to resort to such extremes. A certain gruff and slightly raspy voice had echoed within her head each time uttering _bullshit._ It was often joined by an Irish lit of _prick_ or _fucker_ while both teamed up to talk of various ways of bodily torment, far worse then what she was currently receiving. It was the commentary taking place in her head that had her holding on to her grin as she looked at her tormentor, “I’m not telling you anything asshole.”

In the end the switchblade had left minor nicks and cuts across her upper torso once the Governor had cut it away. She had made it through a few delivered blows to her body uttering little to no sound, heck, she had even managed the invasion of rough hands over her breasts and between her legs. But then he had left and was replaced by someone she hadn’t seen before. He then hauled her from the room and into another, and that’s when everything felt cold.

Maggie stood there shirtless, her arms crossed across her chest as the Governor held her upper arm. Glen was in Merles hold with the mans blade for a hand pressed against his throat; his face swollen and bleeding. From the looks of things, they had more then likely tried to play off of Maggie’s and Glen’s relationship to get them the answers to the questions that they sought. Part of her was glad that she only shared some genes with her sister, it made finding the similarities between the two a little harder if someone wasn’t aware of their relation to one another. Which had kept their captors from using such information, _Thank heavens_.

Yet the combined breathless and relieved echo’s of _Beth_ from the both of them had the men in the room exchanging glances. Right then and there priorities suddenly need to be re-evaluated. As this was quickly heading down a road that if they couldn’t find a way to hold off in revealing the prison then one or all of them would be dead.

The so-called Governor then pulled out a gun saying one of them was going to give up the camp before cocking the gun and aiming it in the direction of Maggie’s head. Neither of them moved, but quickly the Governor was crossing the short distance and placing the barrel of the gun to the center of Glen’s forehead.

Before she could place much more thought into it, one arm was coming up and her elbow was swinging backwards into the solar plexus of the male holding her. Swinging around she grabbed the knife at his hip just as she came to be behind him, the blade was then thrust upwards from the base of his skull just as the sound of a gun going off rang within the walls of the tin room. No additional pain was added to what she was already feeling and Beth distantly heard the surprised shouts and curses as she shoved the dead man towards the startled Merle Dixon.

Really the situation would probably have gone a lot smoother of the knife had been in fact a gun. She would have then been able to at least shoot the Hispanic and possibly even land a shot at the Governor before any of them could have really reacted. Surprise had been on her side after all, no one suspected someone as small as her to have any sort of gumption to take on someone double her size who also had backup.

Her newly acquired knife lodged itself in the shoulder approaching Hispanic. Cornflower blue irises then swept the room, her sister looked nothing like her typical fierce self as she cowered trying to cover her exposed chest. Glen looked to have wrestled with Merle only to have lost the upper hand, though the older Dixon looked like he’d be sporting a few nasty bruises of his own. But then her hair was roughly yanked on, pain exploded through her head from her temple, and then her vision dimmed before she slipped into unconsciousness.

It served her right for not listening to gut when Rick had asked if she’d go with Maggie and Glen on a quick run. But Judith had been running low on formula and she was loathed to delay acquiring such a necessity despite her misgivings. Something that only grew the further they got away from the prison without talking with Daryl first, not that there had been time to hunt him down in the depths of the prison that they were all still in the process of slowly clearing out.

Daryl had always said to trust it, had trusted her inexplicably after the third time she had said something didn’t feel right during those winter months on the road. It didn’t mean anyone else did, not that she ever uttered an ‘I told you so’ or gave out any sort of knowing looks when the group wanted to go a head with something when warning bells were going off in her head and her stomach was clenched in knots. He was not going to be happy with her, not with anyone really and she could bet he was being especially surly and placing that cloak of guilt over his shoulders right at that very moment. If her, Maggie’s and Glen’s absence had been noticed yet.

Not that it really mattered, because she wasn’t some damsel in distress. Hadn’t been for quite some time, despite the fact that her father and sister found that particular fact something hard to swallow. But she had made it through the Mafia families of Boston, managed to survive the loss of her heart as well as a wounded soul as the man she had loved more then anything left not only once but twice. She had gotten though the earth shattering loss of a child and had continually come out of fight after fight with the dead.

So, she’d overcome this too.

Inhaling deeply a few times, Beth pushed passed the initial pain and continued with the deep breaths until it was manageable. Chest pain aside, the exercise also cleared her head and brought everything back into proper focus allowing her to take in the room. Which was far more startling then where they had, had her before. Because a dozen or so heads of the dead were illuminated in water filled fish tanks, lining the wall in rows over the span of three shelves. All looking to still be alive in the odd eye shift and momentarily flex of jaw was anything to go by.

The sound of banging drew her gaze to a caged door, eyes narrowing she could only see a darker shadow shuffling about through the wire. Licking her lower lip, wincing slightly when her tongue came in contact with the split that was in it. Swallowing, Beth parted her lips to call out only to have wide eyes swing towards the door that was roughly thrown open.

From her corner in the room she watched as a dark skinned woman slowly walked in, her eyes trained on the tanks and not evening noticing her. Head tilting, Beth tried to figure out the expression in the depths of the woman’s eyes as her face remained rather blank. It probably wasn’t all that different from her own feelings about the display; something akin to mix surprise, horror, and a sense of sickness for keeping them around in the first place.

Running her tongue along the inside of her mouth, spreading the faint trace of saliva she once again licked her lower lip. “Can’t decide if they’re trophies or if the Governor is more sentimental then he lets on.” Her voice came out raspy, quiet and still managed to startle the woman enough to have her blade come within an inch of Beth’s throat.

Lifting her hands in a placating gesture from where she was tied at the wrists to the chair she was on, Beth didn’t let her gaze falter from the dark eyes peering at her. Not saying anything further, she allowed the woman to come to whatever conclusion she was working out. More thumping from the grated door however had both their gazes locking on it. “You know what’s in there?”

“No.” She rasped out, looking at the woman again. “Can’t be anythin good if those tanks are anythin to go by.” That tightening sensation in her stomach agreed and if the grunt like hum meant what Beth thought it did, the black woman must have agreed.

Again dark eyes met her lighter ones and held for a few passing moments before the woman walked to the door and flicked open the latch. Maybe she hadn’t agreed after all, because before Beth knew she watched as the woman turned overly tender and set down her blade. She found her own breath hitching as she watched a small frame exit the space within the wall.

The child was bound by something akin to a straight jacket, head covered by a sack and it looked like she was tethered back by a chain. Continuing to watch, not being able to do much of anything tied to the chair as she was, Beth found herself frowning as the woman went to unlatch the child from the chain. It only deepened as dark fingers skimmed the edge of the sack before pulling off.

Beth found the inhale of her breath sharp as she automatically tried to scoot further back into the chair. The other woman reacted just as startled before grabbing her sword and taking hold of the child walker by the shoulder. It was easy to see what was about to come next before it even happened, and Beth found it heart wrenching. Thing was, neither of them expected the sound of a cocking gun nor the appearance of the Governor.

Chaos ensued the moment the woman suck her sword through the back of the girls head only to exit at the mouth. The Governor literally pounced on the unknown woman, the two grappling with one another that sent them all over the room. Both of them had crashed into her at one particular point, sending her backwards and having her head come close to hitting the wall. Pain sprouted forth from various points and shot right through her in all directions. Leaving her breathless and fighting away the black dots within her vision.

When she had managed to gather her bearings, she noticed the sword wasn’t all that far away. Problem was, it was a couple of inches out of distance and the only way she’d manage to cut one of her hands loose would be to grasp the center of the blade to be able to cut the rope properly.

Moving the chair and her entire weight wasn’t easy, it left her using valuable seconds trying to keep conscious. When the blade was in her hand, it cut and it cut deeper as she worked on freeing her one arm from the rope. As it came free, it was then that a particular throw from the Governor had the black woman going head first into one of the tanks, for which she then brought down an entire shelf when he pulled her back again.

Heads rolled across the floor and Beth found herself having to bring the heel of her boot down hard on one particular close forehead. She was working on freeing her other hand when the cries of the Governor echoed loud within the room. From her spot on the floor she could the glimmer of something imbedded within his eye as he practically floundered on the floor.

Freeing herself, Beth slowly pushed herself up and got up on rather unsteady feet. She outstretched the sword just as the black woman reached out to grab it. Thing was, Beth didn’t let go of it right away and it had the woman’s dark eyes coming to glare at her. “I can’t say I know what he’s done to you, but I know what he’s done to me and mine.” Her gaze momentarily flickered to the Governor before looking back at the woman. “Despite it all, I won’t lower myself to his level an you shouldn’t either.”

It seemed like they had held each others gaze for forever before the woman nodded her head a slight fraction. Beth dipped her head in return before they both made there way out of the room with sluggish movements and uneasy paces. “I didn’t come alone, your people are here. Got that other girl and the guy she was with out.”

The news had Beth faltering slightly before her lips bloomed into a smile after she heaved a sigh that was so full of relief. While the woman’s admission brought forth some questions, she couldn’t bring herself to even ask the particulars. Not when her family wasn’t all that far away. “Not safe to go through the town to where I had last seen them, but I can get you to where we set up a meeting spot on the other side of the wall.”

All she could do was nod as hope filled her chest. Following the woman wasn’t easy, each movement made every injury she already had that much worse. The woman helped when needed, whether in support or to stop and briefly rest so Beth didn’t feel so winded. It helped that the main street still was in a haze of smoke and that people weren’t heading in the direction that they happened to be.

When they made it to the other side of the wall and out of the town, she almost found herself sinking to the ground. But her form was caught by the woman’s rather strong grip as she was urged to keep going. It was hard when her eyes were so heavy and body hurt in a way she’d never felt before. In a hushed, breathless whisper she had asked who had come in hopes that some form of talk would keep her functioning.

She felt no surprise that Rick and Daryl had gathered whom they could to come. Didn’t feel at all surprised when there two stumbling forms rounded one particular tree that had guns trained on them. It was only relief she felt at seeing Rick, Glen, and her sister before dread formed in the pit of her stomach at not seeing her crossbow wielding companion.

Meeting each of their eyes. Beth swallowed. “Where’s Daryl?” No one moved and she found herself turning back in the direction of the walled town.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Is breá liom tú. I love you  
> Is breá liom tú mo éan amhrán. I love you my song bird  
> Agus mé tú, deo. And I you, forever (I and you, forever)


End file.
